Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 22:10
And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
10. which are appointed for thee to do ] God explained this to Ananias (see Act 9:15), how Saul was a chosen vessel to bear His name before Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel; and still more about his labours was to be revealed to the new Apostle himself. According to Act 26:16-18 the character of the work to which he was called was from the first indicated to Saul; though as no mention is made of Ananias in that passage, it may well be that the Apostle there brings into one statement both the words he heard on the way, and those which were afterwards spoken to him by Ananias.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Act 22:10
And I said, What shall I do, Lord?
The great practical question
It is a brief one but very common: the question of the idler, the steward in the parable, the statesman. It is one of the standing proofs of its practical character that the Bible makes this the first question as soon as there is a movement towards heaven; the audience of the Baptist, the multitude On the day of Pentecost, the Philippian jailer, St. Paul. The latter adds one word which is vital to the sense – Lord. Two words are on record in connection with this crisis. Who art Thou, Lord; What shall I do, Lord? He must know who speaks; he must place himself in His hands. We must look upward as we ask the question; then wait for the answer that we may do it, thus combining the spiritual with the practical. The man who asks and means this question is well started in the race, for–
I. He has done the most difficult thing. He has apprehended the invisible God as his Master and Saviour. He no longer stands afar off saying, Oh, that I knew where I could find Him; he has grasped the gospel of free forgiveness, and can go in and out where God is and inquire in His temple. In each perplexing alternative, in the dark day of trouble, when no friend is near and life trembling in the balance, he can look up to God as his Counsellor and Helper. It was thus that Paul henceforth lived, and the maturity of the question is seen in his confidence, The Lord stood by me and strengthened me.
II. The question is of large compass.
1. It is the question which a young man asks in choosing his life vocation. Well is it when it has been asked in the fear of God. The addition of Lord would have altered in many cases the character of the question and the nature of the reply.
2. In forming an acquaintance, or taking a partner for life, what miseries, entanglements, sins, and crimes would be avoided if the Oracle were visited before determining on the course.
3. This is the question most appropriate to the penitent sinner. Witness the futility of the sinner to break the chain of evil habits without God.
III. The question earnestly asked is never left without an answer. The answer is adapted with the most discrimination to the circumstances of–
1. The man who has lost the light.
2. The man who has never had the light. (Dean Vaughan.)
The supreme problem
Analyse these words and you will discover four important elements of belief underlying the thoughts of the speaker.
I. A consciousness that something must be done in order to obtain salvation. A man cannot morally be saved by inaction. Effort is essential.
II. A consciousness that something must be done agreeable to the Divine will. What wilt Thou have me to do? The work to be done must be done, not by blind excitement or capricious act, but by the will of God. Gods will is to be consulted.
III. A consciousness that the thing to be done must be done by the man himself. What wilt Thou have me to do? No one can do the work that is necessary for me–no priest, preacher, or Church. I must do it.
IV. A consciousness of the need of Divine help in the work. What wilt Thou have me to do? I want Divine direction. As if he had said something must be done, whatever Thou teachest I will do. Teach me Thy will. (Homilist.)
The servants question to his Lord
These words bring before us–
I. The first and strongest instinct of a newborn soul. How shall I express my gratitude and love? how let Thee and others know how thankful I am? Sauls heaviest punishment would have been consignment to a life of inactivity. The Master seemingly could hardly find work enough for him to do. It is not more natural for a fountain to flow, or a star to shine, or a seraph to sing, than it is for a new-born soul to work.
II. A man who had made an absolute surrender of himself to the Lord. From that hour on he was in the hands of the Master as clay is in the hands of the potter. Much that passes under the name of consecration is little more than a profane attempt to compound with the Master, giving up that which we do not care to keep, that we may retain that with which we cannot afford to part.
III. A man who, having made an absolute self-surrender, let the Lord choose his life work for him. When he heard the command to depart from Jerusalem (Act 22:18), Paul ventured reverently to expostulate. He said, as it were, Lord, it seems to me that this is the place, above all others, for me to preach the gospel. My past life will help me here. They know how I persecuted Thy people. And when I tell them of that great light which I saw on the way to Damascus; when they see the wonderful change which has come over me–they will have to lend me their ears. Let Peter go to the Gentiles, let John go, let James go; they will not listen to any of them as they will listen to me. Now, if you and I had been there we should have taken the same view, and yet it was soon very evident that the Master was right and the servant wrong (verses 21, 22). Had Saul stayed at Jerusalem, his career would have been brought to an untimely end. It is a great thing to let the Lord choose our life work for us. Many in choosing their life consult their ease or their pride or their avarice or their ambition, and if they go to the Lord at all, it is after they have made their choice.
IV. Past life an element of inspiration. Paul felt that he had so much to undo. Can you think of anything more touching than his allusion to Stephen (verse 20)? Avenge my death, cries the blood of every martyr, by waging a war of extermination against sin. Is your past life an element of your inspiration? Does no ghost of a slighted opportunity, or a neglected duty, or an abused mercy, or a murdered moment summon thee to greater fidelity? Hast thou no lost time to redeem, no neglected work to make up? Does it not become thee to be about thy Masters work? You cannot recall the past, but you may do much toward redeeming it. (J. B. Shaw, D. D.)
Adjusted faculties
There is produced in a telescope an image of a star. There is produced in a soul an image of God. When does the image of the star start up in the chamber of the telescope? Only when the lenses are clear and rightly adjusted, and when the axis of vision in the tube is brought into exact coincidence with the line of the rays of light from the star. When does the image of God, or the inner sense of peace and pardon, spring up in the human soul? Only when the faculties of the soul are rightly adjusted in relation to each other, and the will brought into coincidence with Gods will. How much is mans work, and how much is the work of the light? Man adjusts the lenses and the tube; the light does all the rest. Man may, in the exercise of his freedom, as upheld by Divine power, adjust his faculties to spiritual light, and when adjusted in a certain way God flashes through them. (Joseph Cook.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
See Poole on “Act 9:6“. Such things as Ananias told him from Christ, were as if Christ himself had told him them; and by Ananias our Saviour satisfied St. Pauls question,
What shall I do, Lord?
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And I said, what shall I do, Lord?….
[See comments on Ac 9:6].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Into Damascus ( ). In 9:6 simply “into the city” ( ).
Of all things which ( ). H, relative plural attracted to genitive of antecedent from accusative , object of (do).
Are appointed for thee ( ). Perfect passive indicative of , to appoint, to order, with dative . Compare with of 9:6. The words were spoken to Paul, of course, in the Aramaic, Saoul, Saoul.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And I said, what shall I do, Lord?” (eipon de ti poieso kurie) “Then I said, Lord, what may I do?” for you, on your behalf? Act 9:6.
2) “And the Lord said unto me,” (ho de jurios eipen pros me) “And the Lord instructed (directed) me,” Act 9:6.
3) “Arise and go into Damascus;” (anastas proeuou eis Damaskon) “Arise (stand up), get up off the ground, and go on into Damascus,” not related in Act 9:1-43.
4) “And it shall be told thee,” (kakei soi lalithesetai) “And when you arrive there, it will be told (disclosed) or revealed to you,” Act 9:6.
5) “Of all things which are appointed for thee to do.” (peri panton hon tetaktai soi poiesai) “Concerning all things which have been arranged (purposed) for you to do,” the whole scope of what you have now been called to do, also disclosed to Ananias in a vision as recounted, Act 9:10-16.
According to Act 26:16-18 the character of the work Saul was to do was indicated to him, from the first, by the Lord directly and by Ananias, God’s preacher in Damascus later.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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10. What shall I do, Lord? This is the voice of a tamed man, and this is the true turning unto the Lord; when laying away all fierceness and fury, we bow down our necks willingly to bear his yoke, and are ready to do whatsoever he commandeth us. Moreover, this is the beginning of well-doing, to ask the mouth of God; for their labor is lost who think upon repentance without his word. Furthermore, in that Christ appointeth Ananias to be Paul’s master, he doth it not for any reproach, or because he refuseth to teach him; but by this means he meaneth to set forth, and also to beautify the outward ministry of the Church. −
And even in the person of one man, he teacheth us − (503) that we must not grudge to hear him speak with the tongue of men. To the same end tendeth that which followeth immediately, that he was blind, until offering himself to become a scholar, he had declared − (504) the humility of his faith. God doth not indeed make blind all those whom he will lighten; but there is a general rule prescribed to all men, that those become foolish with themselves who will be wise to him.
(503) −
“
Commune documentum nobis praebuit,” he hath given us a common proof,
(504) −
“
Probasset,” he had proved.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
“And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus, and there it will be told you concerning all things which are appointed for you to do.’ ”
Deeply humbled he had asked Jesus what He wanted him to do. And he had been told to go into Damascus where he would be told all for which God had appointed him. He wanted his listeners to see that his whole aim had been to be pleasing to God. And his thought was, if only his listeners too would ask, ‘What shall I do Lord?’, they too would receive an answer, and it would involve them in following Jesus.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
Ver. 10. See Act 9:16-18 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
What shall I do. This question is only in this account.
Arise. Greek. anistemi. App-178.
told. Greek. laleo, as in Act 22:9.
of = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.
appointed. Greek. tasso. See note on Act 13:48.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Act 22:10. , it is appointed for thee) The Divine appointment is the sphere of the godly: whatever they do is a realisation (reprsentatio, a vivid exhibition or ready performance) of that appointment.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
What: Act 2:37, Act 9:6, Act 10:33, Act 16:30, Psa 25:8, Psa 25:9, Psa 143:8-10
there: Act 22:12-16, Act 26:16-18
Reciprocal: Act 10:4 – What Act 13:48 – ordained Gal 1:1 – but
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 22:10. See the comments at chapter 9:6.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Here observe, 1. That although Christ converted Paul himself, yet Ananias, as his minister, must instruct him: by Christ is grace infused, but by his ministers increased. Such an honour doth Christ put upon the ministers of the gospel, that he makes use of their endeavours, ordinarily, both for the protection and augmentation of grace in the hearts of his people.
O the necessity and usefulness of a standing ministry! It is a singular favour to have the mind of God made known to us by men like unto ourselves. And behold the honour which God puts upon his ministers, in using them as conduit-pipes for conveying the water of life unto us, which is not ordinarily communicated immediately from himself, nor immediately received by us!
Observe, 2. The title given by Ananias to Saul, Brother Saul. They were now brethern by faith and profession, owning the same God, united to the same Saviour, animated by the same Spirit, encouraged by the same promises, partakers of the same hope, and heirs of the same glory.
As the scripture speaks of a brotherhood betwixt Christ and believers, He is not ashamed to call them brethren; so it speaks of a brotherhood betwixt believers themselves, Love the brotherhood; that is, the whole fraternity and society of Christians, who are Sanguine Christi conglutinati; cemented by the blood of Christ, and united by the bond of love.
Observe, 3. Ananias acquaints Saul with the special favours which God intended for him: The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee, or taken thee by the hand, as the word signifies, that thou shouldst know his will, and see that just one. So he calls the blessed Jesus, to convince them of their sin in putting him to death; And be a witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
The work of the ministers of the gospel is now to witness for, hereafter to witness against: now they witness for God and his truth, and persuade sinners to believe it; hereafter they will witness against sinners for not believing and obeying the truth of God.
Lord, what a sad consideration is this, that the ministers of Christ must be brought in as witnesses against the souls of their neighbours and friends, and be forced to testify to their faces for their condemnation! Ah, Lord, with what an heart must a poor minister study when he considereth, that every sermon that he preaches must be brought in for a witness against many, if not most, of his hearers! Doubtless this sad reflection makes every faithful minister of Christ study hard, pray hard, entreat hard, be earnest and instant in season and out of season, that they may not be the condemners of their people’s souls.
Observe, 4. The advice which Ananias gives to this new convert, to take upon him the badge of Christianity, to wit, Baptism: Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins.
Here note, That sacraments are not empty insignificant signs; but God, by his grace and blessing, renders his own ordinances effectual for these great ends for which his wisdom has appointed them: Be baptized, and wash away thy sins. As water cleanseth the body, so the blood of Christ, signified by water, washes away the guilt of the soul. Where true faith is, together with the profession of it by baptism, there is salvation promised, He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved. Mar 16:16
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
See notes on verse 3
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
As a good Jew, Paul wanted to obey divine revelation, so he asked, "What shall I do, Lord?" Submissively he allowed others to lead him to Damascus where the Lord had instructed him to go to receive further directions.